Fast Lane (lost unaltered version of "Spider-Man" anti-cannabis comic; 1999-2000)
Title page for part 1 of Fast Lane.
Status: Lost
From 1999-2000 Marvel Comics teamed up with the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to publish a series of anti-cannabis comics centering around Spider-Man, titled Fast Lane. This comic is infamous for randomly interrupting almost every Marvel comic from this time period. The book was not overseen by Marvel editorial and was subject to the mandates of the ONDCP leading to numerous parts the book being altered at their request.[1]
Background
The story introduces the movie star Zane Whelan who promotes marijuana use and is idolized by Daily Bugle intern Sam Exmore. Zane's new action movie Fast Lane promises the best special effects of all time which offends Spider-Man baddie, Mysterio, as only he has the best special effects so it's up to the web-slinger to protect Zane from Mysterio's attack. While over-exaggerating the effects of marijuana in the story, Sam eventually finds out that Zane doesn't actually smoke weed and learns the dangers of the drug.
Instances of Censorship
- The girl that hangs around Zane Whelan throughout the story was changed to look more run down and sickly to push her more towards the "heroin chick" look.[1]
- A word bubble was moved to cover J. Jonah Jameson's raised fist with another one being removed entirely in a different panel due to it being perceived as too violent.[1]
- Daily Bugle intern, Toni Harris originally had their hair straightened and pulled back in a ponytail unlike their pigtail puffs in the final book.[1]
- Any panel the originally depicted Johan with a cigar in his mouth had it removed and replaced with spit particles.[1]
- A truck driver's dialogue was changed because the ONDCP said the original dialogue stereotyped truck drivers.[1]
Availability
While Marvel has rereleased Fast Lane as apart of Spider-Man Fights Substance Abuse it uses scans of story taken from printed comic books instead of the originals which means Marvel likely lacks the finished pages much less earlier ones.[1] Some of the unedited pencils were included in a Comics Alliance article about the story line but they seem to have gone unarchived.